Re-enter POLONIUS, with VOLTIMAND and COR NELIUS. King. Well, we shall sift him.-Welcome, my good friends! Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway? His nephew's levies; which to him appear'd 2 To give the assay of arms against your majesty. [Gives a Paper. King, well-took labour: 1 borne in hand,] i. e. deceived, imposed on. 2 To give the assay-] To take the assay was a technical expression, originally applied to those who tasted wine for princes and great men. Go to your rest; at night we'll feast together: Pol. [Exeunt VOLTIMAND and CORNElius. This business is well ended. My liege, and madam, to expostulate Why day is day, night, night, and time is time, -- And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,— Mad call I it: for, to define true madness, Queen. More matter, with less art. 3 My liege, and madam, to expostulate-] To expostulate, for to enquire or discuss. WARBURTON makes the character of Polonius, a character only of manners, discriminated by properties superficial, accidental, and acquired. The poet intended a nobler delineation of a mixed character of manners and of nature. Polonius is a man bred in courts, exercised in business, stored with observation, confident in his knowledge, proud of his eloquence, and declining into dotage. His mode of oratory is truly represented as designed to ridicule the practice of those times, of prefaces that made no introduction, and of method that embarrassed rather than explained. This part of his character is accidental, the rest is natural. Such a man is positive and confident, because he knows that his mind was once strong, and knows not that it is become weak. Such a man excels in general principles, but fails in the particular application. He is knowing in retrospect, and ignorant in foresight. While he depends upon his memory, and can draw from his repositories of knowledge, he utters weighty sentences, and gives useful counsel; but as the mind in its enfeebled state cannot be kept long busy and intent, the old man is subject to sudden dereliction of his faculties, he loses the order of his ideas, and entangles himself in his own thoughts, till he recovers the leading principle, and falls again into his former train. This idea of dotage encroaching upon wisdom, will solve all the phænomena of the character of Polonius. JOHNSON. That he is mad, 'tis true: 'tis true, 'tis pity; Mad let us grant him then: and now remains, I have a daughter; have, while she is mine; That's an ill phrase, a vile phrase; beautified is a vile phrase; but you shall hear.-Thus: In her excellent white bosom, these, &c. Queen. Came this from Hamlet to her? Pol. Good madam, stay awhile; I will be faithful. Doubt thou, the stars are fire; Doubt, that the sun doth move: Doubt truth to be a liar; But never doubt, I love. [Reads. O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers; I have not art to reckon my groans: but that I love thee best, O most best, believe it. Adieu. . Thine evermore, most dear lady, whilst this machine is to him, Hamlet. This, in obedience, hath my daughter shown me: As they fell out by time, by means, and place, more above,] is, moreover, besides. Pol. But how hath she What do you think of me? King. As of a man faithful and honourable. would fain prove so. Pol. I would fain think, But what might you When I had seen this hot love on the wing, What might you think? no, I went round to work, 5 If I had play'd the desk, or table-book ; Or look'd upon this love with idle sight; What might you think?] i. e. If either I had conveyed intelligence between them, and been the confident of their amours [play'd the desk or table-book,] or had connived at it, only observed them in secret, without acquainting my daughter with my discovery [giving my heart a mute and dumb working;] or lastly, been negligent in observing the intrigue, and overlooked it [looked upon this love with idle sight;] or concealed it, what would you have thought of me? 6 Which done, she took the fruits of my advice;] She took the fruits of advice when she obeyed advice, the advice was then made fruitful. And all we mourn for. King. Do you think, 'tis this? Queen. It may be, very likely. Pol. Hath there been such a time, (I'd fain know that,) That I have positively said, 'Tis so, When it prov'd otherwise? King. Pol. Take this from this, if this be otherwise: Not that I know. [Pointing to his Head and Shoulder. If circumstances lead me, I will find Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed King. How may we try it further? Pol. You know, sometimes he walks four hours together, Here in the lobby. Queen. So he does, indeed. Pol. At such a time I'll loose my daughter to him: Be you and I behind an arras then; Mark the encounter: if he love her not, And be not from his reason fallen thereon, Let me be no assistant for a state, But keep a farm, and carters. King. We will try it. Enter HAMLET, reading. Queen. But, look, where sadly the poor wretch comes reading. Pol. Away, I do beseech you, both away; I'll board him' presently:-O, give me leave.— [Exeunt King, Queen, and Attendants. How does my good lord Hamlet? Ham. Well, god-'a-mercy. Pol. Do you know me, my lord? ' I'll board him-] i. e. accost, address him. |